Overall power deficit at 0.7% in Apr-Oct, says Piyush Goyal

India recorded overall power deficit of 0.7% in the first 7 months of the current fiscal, with availability of 681.34 billion units, as against demand of 686.09 BU, Parliament was informed on Thursday.

The government has planned to make the country energy surplus with generating target of 1,178 billion units to achieve overall electricity surplus of 1.1% in 2016-17.

According to the Load Generation Balance Report (LGBR) for 2016-17, the Centre has set a target of generating 1,178 billion units with overall surplus of 1.1% and peak surplus of 2.6%.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Power Minister Piyush Goyal stated that 681.34 BU were available against the power demand of 686.09 BU during the April-October period this fiscal recording a deficit of 0.7 per cent. In 2015-16, this deficit was 2.1 per cent.

Similarly, he further stated that against the peak power requirement of 1.59 GW, as much as 1.56 MW was available in April-October period, resulting in peak power deficit of 1.6 per cent. Last fiscal, peak power deficit was 3.2 per cent.

In another reply to the House, Goyal stated that during 2016-17 (April to October), 568.85 BU of thermal power was produced in the country.

He further stated that the average Plant Load Factor (PLF or proportion of capacity utilisation) of thermal power plants (coal/lignite) during 2016-17 (April-October, 2016) was 59.17% and the PLF for gas based power plants during 2016-17 (April-October, 2016) was 23.59%.

Listing the step taken by government to boost electricity generation for making India power surplus, the minster said, "During the 12th Plan period (2012-17), a capacity addition of about 88928.2 MW against the target of 88,537 MW from conventional sources have been achieved till October 31, 2016 and about 21,128 MW against the target of 30,000 MW from renewable sources have been achieved till September 30, 2016."

He also said that the growth of domestic coal supply to power plants has been around 6.2% during 2015-16.

During the 12th Plan 1,00,468 ckm against the target of 1,07,440 ckm of transmission lines and 2,88,458 MVA against the target of 2,82,750 MVA of transformation capacity have been completed till October 31, 2016, he added.